May 11, 2002


DUCK HUNTING

'What does that mean?', she said, 'You think we're all strange?' She was
Right I did. It wasn't a disparaging judgement at all. To me it was
Merely a description. We all didn't start off strange. When we were
Young, It was different. Our little hearts ruled us more easily then.

So we bounded off like little bunnies and met our future mates. All the
Stories sounded so romantic. Or else, we recalled them as romantic even
If they were not. We didn't know a thing about vulnerability. Then,
When we obviously were, when we loved each other without the fears.

But it's very different now. He all got hurt somehow. Maybe it was
Inevitable. Maybe it had to be that way. Who knows? But now Dating
Seemed an inadequate word for what we were doing. That's when my
View that we were all strange ducks suddenly suggested a new term.

We were, 'Duck Hunting' we were all looking at ourselves and each other
Like we were a little nuts. When I suggested this to the gang I hang
With, they liked it immediately. They got it in an intuitive way. They
No longer had to make excuses for all the funny little ways our hearts

Now protected us at every turn. Now it seemed natural. Now we all could
Expect one another to be a bit strange and enjoy seeing how each other
Had learned to hide the vulnerability that we once celebrated. I no
Longer took any notice of the rather skittish way that we looked at

Each other. Simultaneously fascinated and wary of what was in store. I
Expected moments of incredible intimacy dancing slowly together and
Then an abrupt change when I got just a peck at the door good-night.
Ducks did such things all the time. Ducks did other things too.

Ducks hugged you all night like you were utterly connected to them and
Then waltzed out the next morning to catch the first bit of sunlight
On their boats or horses or treadmills. Ducks loved to fly. Ducks also
Squawked. They honked and turned their noses up, just the way we did when

The champagne hadn't iced properly or they didn't have time to get
Their nails done. Ducks like their little ponds just so. God help us
All. Until I realized that this was the way we were supposed to court
At this age I was very confused. Now it all made some odd kind of sense

But just to check things out, I went to Chipper my chipmunk pal. He knew
A thing or too about the animal world. 'Chip', I said, 'Am I correct in'
'My assessment?'. He looked up at me in the sweetest way and said,
'Isn't it wonderful how Ducks don't have to hide a thing anymore?'